- creatorsnewsletter.com
- Posts
- 12 Deep Psychology Strategies That Will Increase Your Engagement
12 Deep Psychology Strategies That Will Increase Your Engagement
Ashleigh Warren
July 13, 2023
Are you looking for strategies that can boost your social media engagement?
Not the run-of-the-mill tips you see everywhere, but some deep, psychology-based strategies, that work?
Today, we're going beyond the basics and diving into the deep waters of social media psychology.
Understanding the psychology behind social media behaviors is like having a secret weapon that enables you to create better content and dramatically boost your engagement rates.
What is Social Media Psychology?
Simply put, social media psychology examines why people behave the way they do on social platforms. It looks at why we click, like, share, comment, and keep scrolling. Once you understand these behaviors, you can tailor your content accordingly to make it more appealing and engaging to your audience.
Here are a few key principles of social media psychology, along with some practical tips on how you can leverage them for your content strategy.
1. The Principle of Mere Exposure 🎯
Coined by psychologist Robert Zajonc, this principle asserts that people tend to develop a preference for things simply because they are familiar with them.
Actionable Tip: Post regularly and consistently to familiarize your audience with your brand, making you their preferred choice over time.
2. The Zeigarnik Effect 🎯
Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik found that people remember unfinished tasks better than finished ones.
Actionable Tip: Use cliffhangers in your posts or stories. Create a series of posts related to a single theme, leaving each post unfinished until the next one. This keeps your audience looking forward to your next post.
3. The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon 🎯
Also known as 'frequency illusion', this happens when something you've just noticed, experienced, or been told about, suddenly seems to crop up constantly.
Actionable Tip: Make sure your posts reinforce your main messages or themes, creating a repeated exposure that results in the illusion of seeing your content 'everywhere'.
4. Cognitive Dissonance 🎯
People seek consistency in their beliefs, values, and attitudes. When there's an inconsistency (dissonance), they'll try to eliminate it, often through changing beliefs or adding new ones.
Actionable Tip: Create content that challenges the status quo or introduces new perspectives. This may encourage engagement as people grapple with this dissonance and try to reconcile it.
5. Foot-in-the-Door Technique 🎯
People are more likely to agree to a big request if they’ve first agreed to a small one, according to this social psychology concept.
Actionable Tip: Start by asking your followers to do small things, like liking a post or watching a story. Then, gradually move on to bigger requests, such as sharing your content or subscribing to your newsletter.
6. Information Gap Theory 🎯
People are curious creatures. If there's a gap between what they know and what they want to know, they'll take action to fill it.
Actionable Tip: Create curiosity with intriguing headlines and teasers for upcoming content, trips, or experiences you have planned, or try revealing only parts of a story. It will motivate your audience to engage to learn more.
7. The Decoy Effect 🎯
This is when people change their preference between two options when presented with a third, less attractive option. It can be used to nudge your audience towards a specific action.
Actionable Tip: When offering choices on your stories, carousel posts, or reels, add a third less attractive option to drive your audience towards the option you want them to choose. Make your content as interactive as possible.
8. Bystander Effect 🎯
People are less likely to help when others are present, because they assume someone else will step in.
Actionable Tip: Make your call-to-actions (CTAs) personal. Instead of addressing your entire audience, speak as if you're addressing one single person.
9. Dopamine-Induced Loops 🎯
Dopamine is released when we encounter something new and exciting. Social media feeds are designed to constantly provide these new "rewards," causing users to scroll endlessly.
Actionable Tip: Keep your content fresh and exciting. Frequent posts with new ideas, intriguing questions, and engaging visuals can keep your audience coming back for more.
10. Psychological Ownership 🎯
This is a state of mind where individuals feel as though the target of ownership (physical or intellectual) is 'theirs'.
Actionable Tip: Encourage your followers to feel like they're part of your brand. This could be through user-generated content, personalized experiences, or collaborative projects.
11. Hick’s Law 🎯
According to this law, the time it takes for an individual to make a decision is directly proportionate to the possible choices they have. More choices lead to longer decision-making time.
Actionable Tip: Keep your CTAs clear and simple. Don’t overwhelm your audience with too many options; guide them towards one specific action.
12. The Paradox of Choice 🎯
Psychologist Barry Schwartz found that while some choice can be productive, too much leads to anxiety and stress.
Actionable Tip: When presenting choices (such as in a poll or a product selection), limit the number of options to avoid overwhelming your audience.
Final Thoughts
Understanding and implementing social media psychology is a surefire way to create more engaging content and foster a more active and connected online community. It might take some time to get used to, but the results will be worth the effort.
So, next time you're crafting a post, remember these principles and ask yourself:
How can I make this more engaging for my audience?
What emotions do I want to evoke?
What action do I want them to take?
You might be surprised by how much more engagement you receive.
Remember, social media is all about building relationships and understanding the psychology behind it can significantly strengthen those bonds.
Happy posting!